Fishing accessory method of securing a lure to a fishing hook, and method of attaching a body to a fishing line

ABSTRACT

A fishing accessory is provided which includes a body defining a longitudinal passage in which a fishing line is receivable, and defining a slot extending laterally from the passage to an outside of the body. A resilient helical element is axially receivable within the passage with an interference fit, and extends helically from a rear end of the body to engage a fishing lure, disposed on a fishing hook. The accessory is secured on the fishing line by passing the fishing line through the slot into the passage, winding the fishing line through adjacent coils of the helical element, sliding the helical element into the passage, and securing a rear end of the helical element to the lure. A locking member may also be inserted into the passage. The fishing accessory may be installed on the fishing line without having to untie the fishing line from the fishing hook.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] THIS INVENTION relates to fishing accessories. Particularly, itrelates to a fishing accessory, a method of attaching a body to afishing line, and to a method of securing a fishing lure to a fishinghook.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Bodies such as sinkers or floats often need to be attached tofishing lines or lures, to regulate the buoyancy of the fishing line orlure. When fishing, it may be required to change or re-install a sinker,and this should preferably be done without having to re-tie the fishingline to a fishing hook.

[0003] The term “lure” is to be interpreted broadly, so as to includeartificial lures (e.g. soft plastic lures) and also real ornon-artificial bait. The term “interference fit” is to be interpretedbroadly, so as to include sliding engagement, frictional engagement,screw-threaded engagement, and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided afishing accessory which comprises:

[0005] a body defining a longitudinal passage in which a fishing line isreceivable and defining a slot extending laterally from the passage toan outside of the body; and

[0006] a resilient helical element which is axially receivable, at leastin part, within the passage, with an interference fit between thehelical element and a surface of the passage, holding the helicalelement in position in the passage.

[0007] The diameter of the passage may be greater than the width of theslot.

[0008] A fishing line may be passed sideways into or out of the passage,via the slot, thus enabling the fishing accessory to be installed on thefishing line without having to untie the fishing line from a fishinghook.

[0009] A helical groove may be defined in a surface of the passage, thepitch of the helical groove corresponding to the pitch of the helicalelement, so that the helical element can engage the helical groove, whenreceived within the passage.

[0010] The accessory may include a locking member defining alongitudinal slot, the locking member being receivable on the body, andbeing accurately displaceable between a receiving position in which theslot of the locking member is in register with the passage and the slotof the body, and a locking position in which the slot of the lockingmember is in register only with the passage of the body, and is out ofregister with the slot of the body.

[0011] The locking element may be attachable to the body by way ofscrew-threaded engagement and may be a moulding of plastics material,e.g. it may be injection moulded.

[0012] The helical element may include a body engagement part and a lureengagement part, the lure engagement part comprising an elongate elementhaving a helical shape with a wider diameter than the body engagementpart. The coils of the body engagement part may have an inner diameterwhich is smaller than the outer diameter of a hook eye of a fishinghook.

[0013] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided afishing accessory which comprises a body defining a longitudinal passagein which a fishing line is receivable; and a helical element extendingfrom one end of the body, the helical element being configured to engagea fishing lure disposed on a fishing hook and to surround a hook eye ofthe fishing hook, from which a fishing line extends through thelongitudinal passage. By engaging the fishing lure, the helical elementmay attach the fishing accessory to the lure and may assist in holdingthe fishing lure in position on the fishing hook.

[0014] According to a further aspect of the invention there is provideda fishing accessory which comprises:

[0015] a body defining a longitudinal passage in which a fishing line isreceivable and a slot extending laterally from the passage to an outsideof the body, a female screw thread being defined in the passage,extending from one end of the body for at least a part of the length ofthe passage;

[0016] an elongate locking element defining a male screw thread on itsoutside, complemental to the screw thread defined in the passage, alongitudinal slot being defined in the locking element which is inregister with the passage, when the locking element is screw-threadedlyreceived in the passage; and

[0017] a helical element extending from one end of the body, the helicalelement being configured to engage a fishing lure disposed on a fishinghook, from which a fishing line extends through the longitudinalpassage, in use.

[0018] The body may be a sinker or may be a float, and the helicalelement may be a metal coil spring.

[0019] According to yet a further aspect of the invention there isprovided a method of attaching a body to a fishing line, the methodincluding the steps of:

[0020] receiving the fishing line in a passage defined in the body; and

[0021] positioning a resilient helical element around the fishing line,such that the helical element is held in position in the passage by wayof an interference fit between the helical element and a surface of thepassage, and holds the line captive within the passage.

[0022] The fishing line may be received in the passage by sliding itsideways into the passage via a slot defined in the body and extendinglaterally from the passage to an outside of the body. The helicalelement may be positioned around the fishing line by rotating it aboutits axis relative to the fishing line, or by winding the fishing linethrough the gap between adjacent coils of the helical element. Thefishing line can thus be received in the passage and the helical elementcan be positioned around the fishing line, without having to untie thefishing line from a fishing hook.

[0023] The step of positioning the helical element may comprise:

[0024] exerting a twisting load on the helical element about its axis,to deform it elastically to reduce its diameter;

[0025] moving the helical element axially into the passage; and

[0026] releasing the twisting load, to allow the helical element toexpand radially and engage the surface of the passage.

[0027] According to yet a further aspect of the invention there isprovided a method of securing a fishing lure to a fishing hook, themethod comprising:

[0028] causing the fishing hook to pass longitudinally through a noseportion of the lure so that the nose portion is adjacent the hook eye ofthe fishing hook; and

[0029] screwing a helical element longitudinally towards said noseportion, in a direction from the nose end of the lure towards the tailend thereof, so that the helical element engages said nose portion, andsurrounds the hook eye, the helical element including coils which havean inner diameter which is smaller than the outer diameter of the hookeye, thereby attaching the fishing accessory to the lure and assistingin holding the nose portion of the lure in position on the fishing hook,in the hook eye region of the hook. This assists in preventing the nosefrom sliding along the shank part of the hook towards the hook partthereof during use, causing so-called “wadding” which is not desired.

[0030] The helical element may engage the nose portion of the lure byextending underneath an outer surface of said nose portion, or byextending around an outside of said nose portion.

[0031] The invention will now be described, by way of non-limitingexample, with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032]FIG. 1 shows an exploded side elevational view of a firstembodiment of a fishing accessory in accordance with the invention, thebody of the accessory being shown in longitudinal section;

[0033]FIG. 2 shows a side elevational view of the fishing accessory ofFIG. 1 in an assembled condition;

[0034]FIG. 3 shows a sectional view taken on line III-III in FIG. 1;

[0035]FIG. 4 shows a detail side view, drawn to a larger scale, of alocking member of the fishing accessory of FIG. 1;

[0036]FIG. 5 shows a sectional view taken on V-V in FIG. 4;

[0037]FIG. 6 shows an exploded sectional side elevational view of asecond embodiment of a fishing accessory in accordance with theinvention;

[0038]FIG. 7 shows a detailed side view, drawn to a larger scale, of alocking member of the fishing accessory of FIG. 6;

[0039]FIG. 8 shows a sectional view taken on VIII-VIII in FIG. 7;

[0040]FIG. 9 shows an exploded side elevational view of a thirdembodiment of a fishing accessory in accordance with the invention; and

[0041] FIGS. 10 to 12 illustrate how the fishing accessory of FIGS. 1 to3 and a fishing lure, are attached to a fishing hook.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, reference numeral 10generally refers to a first embodiment of a fishing accessory,comprising three components, namely a body which is in the form of asinker 12, a helical element 14 and a locking member 15.

[0043] The sinker 12 can be of a suitable metal such as lead. It has alongitudinally extending passage 16 therethrough, and a slot 18extending laterally from the passage to an outside of the sinker 12,through which a fishing line can pass laterally into or out of thepassage. The sinker 12 has, in the surface defining the passage 16, ahelical groove 20 at a rear end thereof, and a female screw-thread 21 ata front end of thereof.

[0044] The helical element 14 comprises a helically coiled bodyengagement front part 22 and a lure engagement rear part 24 which isalso in the form of a helically coiled element, being an extension ofthe front part 22. The coils of the rear part 24 have a larger diameterthan that of the coils of the front part 22. The helical element 14 is aresilient coil spring made from a metal wire.

[0045] The helical element 14 can be engaged with the sinker 12 byscrewing the front part 22 from the rear end of the sinker axially intothe passage 16, so that the coils of the front part 22 engage with thehelical groove 20. Once the helical element 14 has been screwed infully, it is held in position in the passage 16 by an interference fitbetween the front part 22 and the surface defining the passage, the rearpart 24 will protrude from the rear end of the sinker.

[0046] Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings, the lockingmember 15 is an injection moulded plastics component. It comprises athreaded part 40 which can engage with the female screw thread 21, and ahead 42. As can best be seen in FIG. 5 of the drawings, the head isfluted so as to facilitate rotation thereof by hand. The locking member15 has a longitudinally extending slot comprising a passage 44, and alateral split on one side, the split being indicated by referencenumeral 46. The material from which the locking member 15 is made issufficiently resiliently flexible to enable the split to open up so asto allow the passage of a fishing line therethrough, into or out of thepassage 44. To facilitate insertion of the fishing line, the slit isformed with V-shaped notches 48.

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 6 to 8 of the drawings, a fishing accessory inaccordance with a second embodiment of the invention is generallyindicated by reference numeral 10 and includes a sinker 12, a helicalelement 14, and a locking member 15, similar to the sinker, helicalelement, and locking member of the first embodiment of the invention,shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings. In this embodiment of theinvention, the passage 16 is cylindrical and does not define a helicalgroove or a female screw thread. Similarly, the locking member 15 doesnot include a threaded part, but instead has a cylindrical rear part 50.The front part 22 of the helical element 14 is inserted into the passage16 by exerting a twisting load on the helical element, so that it iselastically deformed and the diameter of the front part is temporarilyelastically reduced. The front part 22 is inserted axially into thepassage 16 and the twisting load is released, so that the coils of thehelical element 14 elastically expand radially, so that the front partengages the surface of the passage with an outwardly elastic bias. Thisprocess of positioning the front part 22 of the helical element 14 inthe passage 16 can be repeated, each time causing further axialpenetration of the front part into the passage. The twisting load istypically exerted by gripping the rear part 24 of the helical element14, and twisting it while inserting the front part 22 into the passage16.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 9 of the drawings, a fishing accessory inaccordance with a third embodiment of the invention is generallyindicated by reference numeral 10 and includes a sinker 12 and a helicalelement 14, similar to the sinker and helical element of the secondembodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 of the drawings,except that the sinker 12 is shorter in length, so that the length ofthe passage 16 is substantially equal to the length of the front part 22of the helical element 14. The front part 22 is tapered in frustoconical fashion, similar to the front part of the helical element shownin FIG. 6 of the drawings.

[0049] In this embodiment of the invention, the front part 22 isinserted into the passage 16 in the same way as that used in the secondembodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 of the drawings, sothat the front part extends the entire length of the passage 16 to holda fishing line captive within the passage, without the need for alocking member to be installed in the passage.

[0050] Referring now to FIGS. 10 to 12 of the drawings, referencenumeral 26 indicates a fishing hook having a hook part 28 and a hook eye30, and reference numeral 32 indicates a fishing line which is tied tothe hook eye 30.

[0051] The sinker 12 is installed on the fishing line 32 by insertingthe fishing line sideways through the slot 18 into the passage 16.

[0052] The helical element 14 is installed on the fishing line 32 bywinding the fishing line through the gap between adjacent coils of thewire element. The front part 22 of the helical element 14 is theninserted into the passage 16 so that the coils of the front part 22engage with the screw-thread 20 or with the surface defining the passage16. In this condition the coils of the front part 22 close the slot 18,thereby retaining the fishing accessory 10 on the fishing line 32.

[0053] The locking member 15 is installed on the fishing line 32 byinserting the fishing line sideways through the slit 46 into the passage44. In the first embodiment, shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 of the drawings, thelocking member 15 is then screwed into the passage 16, with the threadedpart 40 thereof engaging with the screw thread 21. In the secondembodiment, shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 of the drawings, the locking member 15is inserted into the passage 16 with the rear part 50 thereof engagingthe surface defining the passage, with a friction fit. The lockingmember 15 is accurately displaced into a locking position in which thepassage 44 is in register with the passage 16, and the slot 18 is out ofregister with the slot of the locking member 15.

[0054] An artificial fishing lure 34 (shown in dotted outline) having anose 36 and a tail 38 is now installed on the fishing hook 26, as shownin FIG. 12 of the drawings. With the accessory 10 installed, thisillustrates a Texas rigged lure in which the fishing hook 26 is insertedinto the lure 34 so that a shank of the fishing hook, at the hook eyeend thereof, passes longitudinally through the nose 36 of the lure, withthe hook eye 30 being adjacent the nose. The end of the shank which isadjacent the hook part 28 of the fishing hook 26, protrudes from theside of the lure 34, and a barbed end of the fishing hook is insertedinto the lure body, towards the tail end 38 thereof.

[0055] The accessory 10 is now slid along the fishing line 32 towardsthe lure 34 and rotated about the helix axis of the helical element 14,causing the rear part 24 of the helical element 24 to penetrate into thenose 36 and encircle the hook eye 30. This serves to attach theaccessory 10 to the lure 34. In addition, it assists in holding the nose36 of the lure in position on the fishing hook 26, in the hook eyeregion thereof, preventing the nose from sliding along the shank towardsthe hook part 28 of the fishing hook and cause so-called “wadding”.Instead, the rear part 24 may be attached to the nose 36 by extendingaround the outside of the nose, with an inward bias.

[0056] The fishing accessory 10 described herein is versatile in that itallows a fisherman to change from one type of rigging to another withouthaving to untie the fishing line 32 from the fishing hook 26. Thus, thecomponents can be used to form a Texas rig as illustrated in FIG. 12 ofthe drawings. If desired, the sinker 12 can be unscrewed from thehelical element 14 and removed from the line 32, to form a weightlessrig. Furthermore, if desired, the sinker 12 can be installed on thefishing line 32 behind a swivel in the fishing line, the swivel beingset back about 0.5 m from the fishing hook 26, thereby forming aCarolina rig. In the latter configuration the locking member 15 willagain be installed on the fishing line 32 and inserted into the sinker12 at the front end thereof, and a further component which is similar oridentical to the locking member 15 installed onto the fishing line andinserted into the sinker at the rear end thereof, to engage with thescrew-thread formation 20.

[0057] The body 12 may, instead of being of a heavy material such aslead, be of a buoyant material, to serve as a float instead of as asinker.

1. A fishing accessory which comprises: a body defining a longitudinalpassage in which a fishing line is receivable and defining a slotextending laterally from the passage to an outside of the body; and aresilient helical element which is axially receivable, at least in part,within the passage, with an interference fit between the helical elementand a surface of the passage, holding the helical element 15 in positionin the passage.
 2. A fishing accessory as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe diameter of the passage is greater than the width of the slot.
 3. Afishing accessory as claimed in claim 2, wherein a helical groove isdefined in a surface of the passage, the pitch of the helical groovecorresponding to the pitch of the helical element, so that the helicalelement can engage the helical groove, when received within the passage.4. A fishing accessory as claimed in any one of the preceding claims,which includes a locking member defining a longitudinal slot, thelocking member being receivable on the body, and being accuratelydisplaceable between a receiving position in which the slot of thelocking member is in register with the passage and the slot of the body,and a locking position in which the slot of the locking member is inregister only with the passage of the body, and is out of register withthe slot of the body.
 5. A fishing accessory as claimed in claim 4, inwhich the locking member is attachable to the body by way ofscrew-threaded engagement.
 6. A fishing accessory as claimed in claim 4or claim 5, in which the locking member is a moulding of plasticsmaterial.
 7. A fishing accessory as claimed in any one of the precedingclaims, wherein the helical element includes a body engagement part anda lure engagement part, the lure engagement part comprising an elongateelement having a helical shape with a wider diameter than the bodyengagement part.
 8. A fishing accessory as claimed in claim 7, whereinthe coils of the body engagement part has an inner diameter which issmaller than the outer diameter of a hook eye of a fishing hook.
 9. Afishing accessory which comprises a body defining a longitudinal passagein which a fishing line is receivable; and a helical element extendingfrom one end of the body, the helical element being configured to engagea fishing lure disposed on a fishing hook and to surround a hook eye ofthe fishing hook, from which a fishing line extends through thelongitudinal passage.
 10. A fishing accessory which comprises: a bodydefining a longitudinal passage in which a fishing line is receivableand a slot extending laterally from the passage to an outside of thebody, a female screw thread being defined in the passage, extending fromone end of the body for at least a part of the length of the passage; anelongate locking element defining a male screw thread on its outside,complemental to the screw thread defined in the passage, a longitudinalslot being defined in the locking element which is in register with thepassage, when the locking element is screw-threadedly received in thepassage; and a helical element extending from one end of the body, thehelical element being configured to engage a fishing lure disposed on afishing hook, from which a fishing line extends through the longitudinalpassage, in use.
 11. A fishing accessory as claimed in any one of thepreceding claims in which the body is a sinker.
 12. A fishing accessoryas claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the body is afloat.
 13. A fishing accessory as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8,or claim 10, in which the helical element is a metal coil spring.
 14. Amethod of attaching a body to a fishing line, the method including thesteps of: receiving the fishing line in a passage defined in the body;and positioning a resilient helical element around the fishing line,such that the helical element is held in position in the passage by wayof an interference fit between the helical element and a surface of thepassage, and holds the line captive within the passage.
 15. A method asclaimed in claim 14, wherein the step of positioning the helical elementcomprises: exerting a twisting load on the helical element about itsaxis, to deform it elastically to reduce its diameter; moving thehelical element axially into the passage; and releasing the twistingload, to allow the helical element to expand radially and engage thesurface of the passage.
 16. A method of securing a fishing lure to afishing hook, the method comprising: causing the fishing hook-to passlongitudinally through a nose portion of the lure so that the noseportion is adjacent the hook eye of the fishing hook; and screwing ahelical element longitudinally towards said nose portion, in a directionfrom the nose end of the lure towards the tail end thereof, so that thehelical element engages said nose portion, and surrounds the hook eye.17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the helical elementincludes coils which have an inner diameter which is smaller than theouter diameter of the hook eye.
 18. The method as claimed in claim 16,wherein the helical element engages the nose portion of the lure byextending underneath an outer surface of said nose portion.
 19. A methodas claimed in claim 16, wherein the helical element engages the noseportion of the lure by extending around an outside of said nose portion.20. A fishing accessory as claimed in claim 1, claim 8, or claim 9,substantially as herein described and illustrated.
 21. A method ofattaching a body to a fishing line as claimed in claim 14, substantiallyas herein described and illustrated.
 22. A method of securing a fishinglure to a fishing hook as claimed in claim 16, substantially as hereindescribed and illustrated.